Fisherman Sentenced to Ten Years for Sexual Offense Against Minor

Alhaji Sawaneh, aged twenty-three and employed as a fisherman, has been sentenced to a ten-year term of imprisonment following his conviction for the sexual penetration of a four-year-old child.

The proceedings were conducted before Justice Alhaji Momoh Jah Stevens at the Sexual Offences Court No. 7, situated on Siaka Stevens Street, Freetown.

Mr. Sawaneh was charged with offenses that contravened Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act 2012, as amended by Section 4 (a) (ii) of the Sexual Offences Amendment Act 2019.

It was alleged that on July 19, 2023, within Freetown, Mr. Sawaneh perpetrated an act of sexual penetration upon a minor under the age of eighteen.

Upon the charges being formally read and elucidated, Mr. Sawaneh entered a plea of guilt, notwithstanding the absence of legal counsel.

During the judicial proceedings, an appeal was made by the defendant for leniency. However, Justice Stevens denounced the act as a severe breach of the child’s innocence, emphasizing the imperative of nurturing and safeguarding a child of four years, as opposed to subjecting them to such egregious acts.

In consideration of Mr. Sawaneh’s age, the presiding judge recommended engagement in the vocational programs provided within the correctional institution.

Furthermore, the court mandated the cessation of any interaction with the victim subsequent to Mr. Sawaneh’s release. Consequently, a sentence of ten years imprisonment was imposed, to be served at the male correctional facility in Freetown. This sentence reflects the judiciary’s dedication to the prosecution and adjudication of sexual offenses committed against children.